A typical hydraulic power supply system includes one or more pumps drawing hydraulic fluid from a reservior or sump, one or more hydraulic motors, which may be either rotary or linear, which are operated by the hydraulic fluid through suitable regulating and control valves, and piping interconnecting the components of the system. In such a typical system there are one or more supply pipes for withdrawing hydraulic fluid from the reservoir or sump and one or more return pipes also connected to the reservior of sump. When the system is initially fabricated, appropriate fittings are provided on the tank which serves as the sump for the supply and return lines. If alterations are subsequently made in the hydraulic power circuit, additional supply and/or return lines may be required to be connected to the reservior tank. It will be appreciated that the connection of additional lines may be a relatively complex and expensive operation, frequently involving welding of appropriate fittings to the tank wall.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved pipe connecting flange for use in hydraulic power systems.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a pipe connection for hydraulic power systems which may be installed on an existing reservior or sump tank without requiring welding or other complex operations.